I need help on installing a fish finder in kayak

[JigginforBiggin]

Hey. I have a sundolphin journey 10 ss kayak and I want to put a fish finder on it. Will the transducer read through 2 layers of plastic? There is no hull I can open to get inside. I can only either dangle it over the side or mount it somewhere but it would have to go through 2 layers of plastic. Any advice?

[haggard]

I have the same yak - what a great little boat for short money! I use mine as a "grab and go" yak ("F/V Last Resort"), totally minimalist, so I don't run a finder on it. I run a finder on my bigger yak and even when the transducer is covered with a light layer of weeds it has trouble, so I don't think you'll have good results going through 2 layers of plastic.

 

The SS10 doesn't have much in the way of solid mounting surfaces either... EXCEPT the paddle storage indentation and stretchy strap on the side of the hull. I bet you could put a paddle-size pole section on there, maybe just a couple feet long, which gives a reasonably rigid mounting surface, and from there clamp on an arm with the transducer at the end. A no-holes-drilled solution.

 

As for the finder head unit you could probably use the built-in socket for a Scotty-style mount.

 

[flyfisher]

you can either use on of the arms styles mentioned already or you can just cut an access hatch somewhere and go that route.  Your transducer will not work through a layer of plastic, then air then plastic again, or at least not properly.  

[JigginforBiggin]

I was thinking putting the screen itself on the left side in front of the "knee cushion" theres a pretty flat surface where I think the mount will fit. I was also putting a crate on the back for storage. Would it be a good idea to then route the wires to the back and have the battery in the crate, then make a PVC extension arm going from the crate into the water. I saw people doing that but dont know how durable it is.

[flyfisher]

you won't really know the best place for the battery until you mock everything up really.  Me personally i like the battery towards the front so if there is connection that works loose or something i can get to it more easily on the water.  As far as the extension arm goes, just make sure wherever you put it, it is out of the way of your paddle stroke and potential disturbance in the water from your paddle stroke as well.  

 

[JigginforBiggin]

Yeah rats probably what I will be doing but I decided to have the screen right under the cup holder. Any idea of how long to make the PVC extension for transducer?

[CHIP-MAINE]

i bought a handheld portable fish finder off amazon for like $40. cant wait to use it in my kayak tried it once ice fishing this winter. didnt catch any but just getting used to it. fish a river that am unsure of most of the depth.